February - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
February - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
February - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
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Church Information 63<br />
allegedly found in a gravel pit at Piltdown but turned out to be a medieval<br />
human skull, <strong>the</strong> jaw <strong>of</strong> an orangutan, and <strong>the</strong> fossilised teeth <strong>of</strong> a chimpanzee.<br />
The bones had been stained to give an appearance <strong>of</strong> age and <strong>the</strong> teeth had<br />
been filed to make <strong>the</strong>m appear more human. The identity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hoaxer<br />
remains unknown, though it is widely thought to have been Charles Dawson,<br />
who claimed to have found <strong>the</strong> remains.<br />
The belief in evolutionist circles throughout <strong>the</strong> 1920s and 30s was that<br />
“Piltdown man” was an early human being closely related to apes. A few<br />
scientists were suspicious from <strong>the</strong> first but <strong>the</strong>ir voices were not heard, and<br />
it is estimated that more than 250 scientific papers were written discussing<br />
<strong>the</strong> significance <strong>of</strong> “Piltdown man”. The “fossil” was cited as evidence at <strong>the</strong><br />
famous Scopes Monkey trial in Tennessee in 1925.<br />
The significance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hoax is not so much <strong>the</strong> occasional dishonesty <strong>of</strong><br />
scientists, although this may play its part in <strong>the</strong> Creation-Evolution debate,<br />
as <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> scientific community can be mistaken for a long period<br />
<strong>of</strong> time, even when contrary voices are being raised. The “assured facts <strong>of</strong><br />
science” always have a question mark pencilled against <strong>the</strong>m, and it is as<br />
well to remind evolutionists that this is so. In 40 years’ time, <strong>the</strong>ir current<br />
<strong>the</strong>ories may look as crude and antiquated as <strong>the</strong> Piltdown hoax did in 1953.<br />
DWBS<br />
Church Information<br />
Induction <strong>of</strong> Rev K M Watkins<br />
Though 14 November 2012 was very cold and wet, a considerable number<br />
<strong>of</strong> people converged on Barnoldswick, Lancashire, to worship <strong>the</strong> great God<br />
who calls men to <strong>the</strong> sacred work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ministry and who sends <strong>the</strong>m to <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
spheres <strong>of</strong> labour. This warm-hearted company ga<strong>the</strong>red on a winter’s night<br />
to rejoice with <strong>the</strong>m that rejoice and to witness <strong>the</strong> solemn induction <strong>of</strong> Rev<br />
K M Watkins, who was that evening to become <strong>the</strong> first <strong>Free</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
minister in <strong>the</strong> North <strong>of</strong> England.<br />
Those who arranged <strong>the</strong> location <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> service judged that <strong>the</strong> numbers<br />
attending <strong>the</strong> Induction would exceed <strong>the</strong> capacity <strong>of</strong> our <strong>church</strong> building in<br />
Barnoldswick. The numbers proved that <strong>the</strong>ir judgement was right. People<br />
ga<strong>the</strong>red to <strong>the</strong> more commodious Independent Methodist Church. Some<br />
came from London and o<strong>the</strong>rs from some <strong>of</strong> our congregations in <strong>Scotland</strong>.<br />
A small company <strong>of</strong> local people also joined with <strong>the</strong> friends from <strong>the</strong><br />
Barnoldswick Congregation. The Presbytery met at 6.30 pm and public<br />
worship commenced at 7.30. Rev J MacLeod preached and presided. His